Ten Sleep

The small ranching community of Ten Sleep is a true example of western lifestyle. Located at the base of the Big Horn Mountains, the area is rich in fertile soil and waterways which make it perfect for raising cattle and sheep.

Travelers are welcome and greeted with friendly smiles. Area residents maintain an atmosphere which exemplifies a genuine western experience. Visitors are encouraged to stop and enjoy the shopping Ten Sleep offers, or try your favorite malt or homemade ice cream. July visitors may encounter original cattle drives which move through the center of town. Local cowboys (and their horses) have been photographed inside either of the town's two saloons!

Ten Sleep got its name by being ten sleeps (nights) between the Great Sioux Camps and the Platte River to the south, and the northern camp located near Bridger, Mont.

The area is full of history and is recognized as being the site of many historic battlegrounds between Indian tribes and the white man. Among those sites are the Bates Battlesite, an engagement in which the Arapahoe were defeated by a coalition composed of U.S. troops and the Shoshone. At the Dull Knife site, Dull Knife and Wild Hog were defeated leaving the Big Horn Mountains under the control of the white man. Located a few miles south of Ten Sleep is the famous site of the Spring Creek Raid. Here, cattle ranchers and sheep herders fought a bloody battle over grazing rights. The event eventually led to the end of the bitter rivalry between cattlemen and sheep ranchers.

Scenic wonders ranging from mountain ranges, canyon and pure mountain streams and lakes are everywhere. Expect to see abundant sightings of elk, moose, deer and other forest creatures.

To the southwest of Ten Sleep, Castle Gardens present unusual stone caricatures of animals, castles and other objects of interest. The Ten Sleep experience is timeless and terrific.